Fitness Beginners Guide
Fitness means being physically healthy and fit. When we go into a little detail, we see
that it includes concepts such as muscle strength, muscular endurance, body
composition. Of course, it also includes features that are not limited to these. For
example, mental health is one of them. Every successful fitness plan should incorporate
physical activity such as cardio and strength training, regardless of your body type.
The online workout planner has a pretty simple interface to achieve your fitness goals.
On our site, which includes hundreds of exercises and images, exercises are presented
to you in categories according to muscle groups. Which muscle group you want to work,
all you have to do is enter that category, select the exercises and click the add button.
When you click the Add button, you can easily create a training program by specifying
the number of sets and repetitions of the exercises. Easily add or remove exercises to
create a fitness workout designed specifically by and for you.
HOW TO CREATE FITNESS PLAN
The first thing to consider is the goal of the training plan. If you want to lose weight,
you must create a calorie deficit. In this case, you will need more cardio exercises and
weight training.
If you want to train not for athletic performance but to be healthy and fit, walking,
jogging, jumping rope, cycling, swimming, and various home exercises are all effective
at keeping you fit. However, if you want to plan training for athletic performance, it is
necessary to choose exercises according to the branch you are doing.
For example, if you’re a marathoner, you need strong leg muscles. At the same time,
your upper body muscles will remain weak as your leg muscles are constantly working.
Targeting upper body and lower body exercises with functional movements in order to
strengthen at an optimum level will benefit you in the fitness plan you will create.
Setting your goals makes your exercise choice easier, helps you determine the right
number of sets and repetitions, and provides convenience for the fitness plan you will
create.
WHAT’S THE GOAL OF THE FITNESS PLAN?
Many goals such as losing weight, gaining weight, creating a fit body, getting stronger,
being durable will help you create your fitness workouts. When planning a well-
rounded workout routine, it is important to understand the five components of physical
fitness and how your training affects them.
- Set a Goal
- Choose exercises suitable for the target
- Choose Your Sets and Reps.
- Plan your workout
HOW MUCH WEIGHT SHOULD I LIFT TO GAIN MUSCLE?
For beginners, 1 to 3 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions per exercise with a moderate load (60%
to 85% of one-rep max) is ideal. More advanced individuals looking to further develop
muscle mass can perform 3 to 6 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions at 70% to 85% of one-rep
max.
Your one rep max (1RM) is the maximum amount of weight that you can lift to
complete one repetition.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPS SHOULD I DO?
Different training organizations, such as the American Council on Exercise (ACE) or
the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), have slightly different models for
each training goal. But they follow the same general guidelines.
intervals of high intensity. It just needs to tax the large muscle groups strenuously
enough and long enough to get you breathing heavily—which means you’re challenging
your heart and lungs.
EXAMPLES OF AEROBIC EXERCISE
Any kind of physical activity that makes your heart rate go up is considered cardio. So,
if an exercise gets your heart rate up for a while, it’s cardio exercise. If you want to see
more aerobic exercises, select the “Cardio” category in the exercise list.
CREATING A CARDIO PLAN
Cardio exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym. Many activities in our daily lives
can provide cardio exercise, like taking the stairs, raking leaves or shoveling snow. Aim
for at least 2-3 cardio workouts per week—a 10-15-minute high-intensity workout or an
hourlong low-intensity activity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults should perform 2 hours and 30
minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic training or 1 hour and 15 minutes per
week of vigorous-intensity or an equivalent mix of both.
Aerobic workout should be performed for at least 10-20 minutes at a time and spread
throughout the week.
For greater health benefits, 5 hours per week at a moderateintensity level or 2 hours
and 30 minutes at a vigorous-intensity level or an equivalent mix of both is
recommended.
The American College of Sports Medicine states that moderate-intensity physical
activity between 150-250 minutes per week is effective in preventing weight gain, but
will provide only modest weight loss. Physical activity greater than 250 minutes per
week is recommended for weight loss and the prevention of weight gain.
WEIGHT TRAINING
Weight training is an organized exercise in which muscles of the body are forced to
contract under tension using weights, body weight or resistance bands in order to
stimulate growth, power, strength, and endurance. Weight training is also called
“resistance training” or “strength training.”
Muscle strength: The maximal amount of force that can be generated by amuscle or
muscle group during a muscular contraction.
Muscle power: The maximal amount of force that can be developed in agiven time.
Muscle endurance: refers to the ability of a given muscle or group of muscles to exert
force, consistently and repetitively, over a period of time.
Hypertrophy: The maximal increase in the size of skeletal musclethat can be attained
WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISE SELECTION
A compound exercises is a multi-joint movements that works several muscles at one
time. Some examples squat, bench press and deadlift. If you’re a beginner, compound
exercises (pull-up, push-up, bodyweight squat) help you build your foundation quicker
by giving you more for the time and effort you put in.
Isolation exercises work one muscle at a time. Some examples might be the Bicep
curl, tricep pushdown, dumbbell fly, leg curl and extension. If your goal is to develop a
single muscle group, adding isolation exercises is helpful.
Whichever form of exerxise is chosen, multiple-joint, large muscle group exercises
should be performed before single-joint, smaller group exercises.
TO WORKOUT FOR MUSCLE GROWTH (HYPERTROPHY)
The type of weight training done by bodybuilders is meant to create microscopic tears
in the muscle, forcing the body to repair the muscles and expand the storage capacity.
The repairs cause the muscles to grow, a process known as hypertrophy. Combining a
suitable workout with a high-protein diet and plenty of rest in off-times will ensure
effective results.
In general, most bodybuilding programs, as well as many general fitness workout, work
within rep ranges of 6-12 with 60-85% of one rep max. In other words, bodybuilding
plans will use lower weights, or lower average intensity, for higher rep ranges. Plans
designed to build upper-end strength, however, will prescribe higher average
intensities (80%-100% on average) at lower rep ranges.
RECOMMENDED INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, SET AND REP RANGE FOR HYPERTROPHY.
Intensity: 60-85% of 1 rep max
Set and reps: 3-6 sets per exercise / 6-12 repetitions per set
Between reps: 30-90 seconds rest
Frequency: 2 to 3 days per week of training has been effective in increasing
musclehypertrophy. Higher frequencies may be used to fully maximize hypertrophy.
If you are doing weight training for the first time, the volume and intensity are kept
low, the priority is to aim to do the exercises right.
MAXIMAL STRENGTH TRAINING
Any weight-lifting workout will naturally strengthen your muscles, but if you don’t care
about looks and especially if you’re aiming for a strength program, you should do low
reps and lift heavy weights. For example, powerlifting workouts involve 80-100% of the
maximum weight in the 1-5 rep range. If your goal is to get fit and build an athletic
body, the exercises should be repeated 8 to 12 times per set for each muscle group.
RECOMMENDED INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, SET AND REP RANGE FOR STRENGTH TRAINING.
Intensity: 85-100% of 1 rep max
Set and reps: 2-6 sets per exercise / 1-5 repetitions per set
Between reps: 2-5 min rest
Frequency: Many studies have demonstrated that engaging in heavy strengthtraining
at least 3 times per week with heavy intensities produces the optimal effect
inenhancing maximum strength
BEGINNERS TO STRENGTH TRAINING;
As exercises become easier, increase the weight or do another set.
Muscle-strengthening activities should be performed on 2 or more days per week. (leave
1 or 2 days rest between each strength session).
Muscle-strengthening activities do not count toward the aerobic activity total.
All major muscle groups should be worked. These are the legs, hips, back, abdomen,
chest, shoulders, and arms.
Examples: Lifting weights, working with resistance bands, or doing exercises that use
body weight for resistance (e.g., push-ups, pull-up, sit-ups, etc.).
Muscle strengthening exercises should be done in accordance with their purpose. For
example, muscle strengthening training to be done after injury and muscle
strengthening training to be done for sports performance are not the same thing. Your
muscle strengthening exercises to be applied after an injury should be determined by
the doctor.
Muscle Strengthening Exercises can be used to build body or strengthen a particular
muscle group.
Advanced Strength Training – Sample Program Stronglifts 5×5 Program
MUSCULAR POWER TRAINING
For an athlete, power refers to his ability to generate force quickly. Many team sports
require athletes to be agile and be able to execute quick maneuvers.
Strength may simply be explained as the ability to generate maximum force at
aparticular speed over a specific range of motion, while power is the ability to
generatestrength very quickly. The goal is to move a load at high velocity (speed).
Muscular power is the highest power output attainable during a particular movement,
and is required in activities of daily living, sport, and work.
For optimal improvements in muscular power, a light load of 0 to 60% of 1RM should be
used for 3-6 repetitions over one to three sets per exercise
RECOMMENDED INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, SET AND REP RANGE FOR
MAXIMAL POWER
Intensity: 30-60% 1RM for upper body exercises; 0-60% 1RM for lower body exercises
Set and reps: 1-3 sets of 3-6 repetitions per exercise
Rest period: 2-3 min for higher intense exercises that use heavier loads; 1-2 minutes
between the lower intense exercises with light loads
Frequency: 3 times a week
Hypertrophy (negatives) → Muscular strength → Muscular power → Muscular
strength (accommodating resistance)
Methods of increasing power
Sample: Muscle Power Training Sample: Complex Power Training
TRAINING FOR MUSCULAR ENDURANCE
Muscle endurance refers to the ability of a given muscle or group of muscles to exert
force, consistently and repetitively, over a period of time. The way to increase muscle
endurance is to train with light weights, working in the 20–25 rep range. Working with
lighter weight will train the muscle fibers needed for muscular endurance, and the
higher rep range leads to a longer period of training.
Many sports require an overlapping ability of all three types of muscular endurance.
Power Endurance: The ability to be explosive again and again over long periods of
time, with little rest. Think wrestlers, baseball players, boxers, tennis, football.
Short-term Endurance: The ability to exert maximum force for short periods of time,
such as sprints for 60 seconds, repeatedly. Think sprinters, soccer players, basketball
players.
Long Endurance: The ability to remain active with peak performance for long
durations. Think basketball players, marathon runners, rowers, cross country runners,
boxers.
If you want to really understand how muscular endurance works, you need to learn
about the two muscle fiber types that all of your muscles have.
Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers
Slow twitch muscle fibers are the first to respond to physical activity. They are designed
to sustain low force over long durations.
Activities that recruit slow twitch muscle fibers: running, power walking, cycling,
swimming, aerobic exercises. lightweight or bodyweight exercises with high repetitions.
Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers
Some activities require maximum exertion, which your slow twitch muscle fibers can’t
handle. When this happens, your fast twitch muscle fibers are recruited to take over for
the slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers get tired quicker than slow
twitch and they require a period of rest.
Activities that recruit fast twitch muscle fibers: Power exercises, short sprints,
weightlifting, crossfit Slow twitch muscle fibers are the ones with endurance-boosting
ability. When focusing on endurance
training, you are training your slow twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch muscle fibers are
for short bursts of strength and power, while slow twitch is endurance
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE EXERCISES:
RECOMMENDED INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, SET AND REP RANGE FOR MUSCULAR ENDURANCE.
Intensity: lower than 67% of 1RM
Set and Reps: 2-4 sets of 10-25 repetitions
Between reps: Up to 30 seconds rest
Between Sets: 30-60 seconds rest
Frequency: 2-4 days per week
FLEXIBILITY
First, a couple definitions: flexibility is the ability of a muscle to stretch and mobility is
the ability of a joint to move freely through its range of motion. Both are important
parts of overall fitness, and both should be incorporated into your fitness routine.
WARMING UP AND STRETCHING
Warm-up helps prepare your body for aerobic activity. Because the main purpose of warming is to prepare your whole body for training. With a proper warm up exercise and stretching routine the elasticity and flexibility of the tendons and ligaments are increased. Warm-up and stretching is an activity that does not take much time, even a 5-10 minute warming routine will help you avoid injury.
Dynamic stretching consists of active movements. It is usually done before a workout to
help warm up your muscles and increase your heart rate. Move slowly, stop and repeat,
dig a little deeper each time and improve your range of motion.
Pre workout dynamic stretching improves circulation, prepares your muscles for
movement, and temporarily increases your range of motion.
Static stretching, more commonly done at the end of a workout when your muscles are
warm, is when stretches are held in place for a certain period of time, not moving.
Static stretching is the most effective form of stretching for loosening up your muscles,
joints, ligaments, and tendons, while also improving flexibility and range of motion.
Static stretching requires you to move a muscle to the end of its range of motion and
maintain this position for 20 to 45 seconds. Repeat this 2 to 3 times each.
Each time you perform aerobic or strength-training activities, take an extra 10 minutes
to stretch the major muscle groups.
Hold stretches for at least 10 to 30 seconds and repeat each stretch 2 to 3 times
Not: The purpose of this article is to provide information about fitness and more
advanced training methods, sample training plans are just for you to get an idea of, and
it does not promise definitive results to anyone. Each person’s body structure,
metabolism, lifestyle and goals are different, it is recommended to consult a personal
trainer for best results.
What Is The Best Time Of The Day For A Workout And Exercise?